The Secret Seven facts for kids
The first edition of the first book, titled The Secret Seven, illustrated by George Brook and published by Brockhampton Press
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| Author | Enid Blyton ; Pamela Butchart |
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| Language | English |
| Genre | Children's literature, mystery |
| Publisher | Brockhampton Press |
| Published in English | 1949–1963; 2018 - present |
| No. of books | 17 |
The Secret Seven is a popular series of children's mystery books. They were written by the famous author Enid Blyton. The books are about a group of seven young friends who solve exciting mysteries.
The Secret Seven Society has seven members: Peter, Janet, Pam, Barbara, Jack, Colin, and George. Peter is the leader of the group. Janet is Peter's sister. Jack's sister, Susie, and her friend Binkie often try to annoy the Secret Seven. They sometimes play tricks on the group. Susie really wants to join the Secret Seven, but Peter always says no.
Unlike many other Enid Blyton series, these stories happen during school term time. This is because the characters go to day schools. Later, Pamela Butchart wrote two new Secret Seven adventures. These new books added some spooky elements to the stories.
Contents
How the Secret Seven Started
Enid Blyton's daughter, Gillian Baverstock, shared how the Secret Seven began. Blyton's publisher had children who formed their own secret club. The oldest child was named Peter.
This real-life club met in an old shed. They used secret passwords and had special badges. Enid Blyton talked with the real Peter. In 1948, she wrote her first Secret Seven story. It was a short story called "The Secret of the Old Mill."
Before that, she wrote "At Seaside Cottage." This story introduced Peter and Janet before the club was formed. After these, she wrote five more short stories and fifteen full-length books.
Short Stories of the Secret Seven
Enid Blyton wrote seven short stories about the Secret Seven. One of these was a mini-book that explained how the club started. Most of these stories were collected into one book in 1997. It was called Secret Seven: Short Story Collection.
- "At Seaside Cottage" (1947) – This was the first short story book.
- "Secret of the Old Mill" (1948) – This story was first published in a book of the same name.
- "The Humbug Adventure" (1954) – It appeared in Enid Blyton's Magazine Annual No.1.
- "Adventure on the Way Home" (1955) – This was in Enid Blyton's Magazine Annual No.2.
- "An Afternoon with the Secret Seven" (1956) – Found in Enid Blyton's Magazine Annual No.3.
- "Where Are the Secret Seven?" (1956) – Published in a strip book with the same title.
- "Hurry, Secret Seven, Hurry!" (1957) – Appeared in Enid Blyton's Magazine Annual No.4.
Full-Length Books
Here are the fifteen full-length books in the Secret Seven series:
- The Secret Seven (1949) – Jack sees something strange on a snowy night. The Seven investigate a mystery at a house. They think someone might be held prisoner there.
- Secret Seven Adventure (1950) – Peter and Colin find a man who stole a pearl necklace. The search for the thief leads them to a circus.
- Well Done Secret Seven (1951) – The Seven build a tree house. They meet a boy with an injured kitten. He gives them clues about a planned mail robbery.
- Secret Seven on the Trail (1952) – Susie plays a trick on Jack and George. This prank leads the Secret Seven to a group of train robbers.
- Go Ahead Secret Seven (1953) – George is forced to leave the club for a short time. The Seven follow a man who is mistreating dogs. They must solve the mystery of the stolen dogs.
- Good Work Secret Seven (1954) – Susie plays another trick on the Seven. Peter and Janet's father's car is stolen with them inside. The Seven investigate the car thieves.
- Secret Seven Win Through (1955) – The Seven find a new meeting place in a cave. Their supplies start to disappear. Scamper helps them find clues about some crooks.
- Three Cheers Secret Seven (1956) – Susie's model airplane starts a new adventure. The Seven wonder who is using a room in an empty lodge.
- Secret Seven Mystery (1957) – A schoolgirl goes missing. The Seven start searching for her. Susie tries to get in their way.
- Puzzle for the Secret Seven (1958) – The Seven see a house fire. They help the family. But a valuable violin is stolen. Strange wailing noises are heard at night.
- Secret Seven Fireworks (1959) – Jack's sister Susie starts a rival club. The Seven wonder if Susie stole their fireworks money. They also find some suspicious men lurking in a hut.
- Good Old Secret Seven (1960) – Jack gets a new telescope. Janet sees a strange face at Torling Castle. The Seven must investigate.
- Shock for the Secret Seven (1961) – Jack leaves the group after an argument. Dogs start disappearing in town, including Scamper. Jack helps find the important clue.
- Look Out Secret Seven (1962) – Medals belonging to an old General go missing. Colin promises to find them. The police are puzzled, so the Seven must help.
- Fun for the Secret Seven (1963) – This book does not have a mystery. The Seven help an old farm worker pay a vet's bill for a lame horse. They save the horse from being put down.
Main Characters
The Society Members
- Peter – He is the leader of the Secret Seven. Peter is smart and determined. He can be a bit bossy, especially about passwords and badges. He is very close with Janet and Jack.
- Janet – Peter's sister and the second-in-command. Janet is very good at noticing things. She remembers details well. She is braver than the other girls in the group.
- Jack – Peter's best friend. He is one of the most helpful members. His younger sister, Susie, often annoys him. Jack is the only one who stands up to Peter when he is unreasonable.
- Pam – A girl from Janet's school. She is best friends with Barbara. Pam sometimes has great ideas that help solve mysteries.
- Barbara – Another girl from Janet's school. She and Pam often work together. They are usually out together when looking for clues.
- Colin – A boy from Peter's school. Colin is a helpful member of the group. He is often the quietest of the boys. He helped a lot in "Secret Seven Adventure."
- George – A boy from Peter's school. His best friend is Colin. George's father once told him to leave the society. But he later let George rejoin.
- Scamper – Peter and Janet's pet dog. He is a friendly golden English Cocker Spaniel. Scamper is not an official member, but the children count him as one. He often helps them solve the mysteries.
Other Important Characters
- Susie – Jack's younger sister. She often bothers Jack and the Secret Seven. She enjoys playing tricks on them. Susie really wants to join the club.
- Binkie – Susie's best friend. She sometimes stays with Susie. Binkie is described as not very smart.
- Jeff – A friend of Susie's who appears in some early books. He is similar to Binkie.
- Bony - Susie's and Jack's French friend. His real name is Jean Baptiste Boneparte. He is shy and loves dogs.
- Jack the farmer – Peter and Janet's father. He is supportive of the children. He has taught Peter about right and wrong.
- Peter and Janet's mother – She supports the Secret Seven. She often gives them snacks for their meetings.
- Jack's mother – She sometimes gets annoyed when Jack focuses too much on the Secret Seven.
- Matt the Shepherd – Peter's father's coworker on the farm. His dog, Shadow, is stolen in one mystery.
- Shadow - Matt the shepherd's strong dog. He is stolen in the book Shock for Secret Seven.
- The Inspector – The police inspector. The Secret Seven always report their cases to him. He has become a good friend to the group.
- Postie the Postman – The local postman. He was found to be a criminal in Shock for Secret Seven.
- The Gardener – Peter and Janet's gardener. He has a bad temper. But he can be helpful in catching criminals.
Other Books and Adaptations
French Series
In the late 1970s and early 1980s, Evelyne Lallemand wrote 11 more Secret Seven books in French. Nine of these were translated into English. They were published between 1983 and 1986.
Pamela Butchart Books
In 2018, Hodder Children's Books published a new Secret Seven adventure. It was called The Secret Seven Mystery of the Skull. In 2019, another new book came out: The Secret Seven and the Mystery of the Theatre Ghost. These books were written by Pamela Butchart.
Stage and Audio
The first play based on The Secret Seven opened in Chester in 2017. It received good reviews. There was also an English audio drama adaptation of some episodes.
Images for kids
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A robot for kids.
